CORPORATE ED REFORM
Can You Spare $91,440? | EduShyster
Can You Spare $91,440? | EduShyster: Can You Spare $91,440?Because that’s how much seven Boston charter schools are charging to answer a public records request…Here’s a math question for you, reader. Say one wanted to submit a public records request to a handful of charter schools, inquiring about their recent lobbying activities. How much do you suppose such a request might set one back? If you a
OMG Barack, How Could You Pick John King? | Alan Singer
OMG Barack, How Could You Pick John King? | Alan Singer: OMG Barack, How Could You Pick John King?Arne Duncan is leaving as Barack Obama's Secretary of Education. Duncan's signature role was administering President Obama's Race to the Top program which forced states to adopt Common Core and the high-stakes testing of students and teachers to qualify for federal grants. He will not be missed. Dunca
State Parent Advisory Council - Migrant (CA Dept of Education)
State Parent Advisory Council - Migrant (CA Dept of Education): State Parent Advisory CouncilOctober meeting agenda for the public for the meeting being held on October 10, 2015.Regular MeetingSaturday, October 10, 2015Sacramento, CaliforniaAGENDAItemTimeDescriptionFacilitatorItem 1Action8:30-8:40amWelcome, Call to Order, Roll CallState Parent Advisory Council (SPAC) President, Vice PresidentItem
What the Classroom Didn’t Teach Me About the American Empire - Truthdig
What the Classroom Didn’t Teach Me About the American Empire - Truthdig: What the Classroom Didn’t Teach Me About the American EmpireThis article by the late Howard Zinn is a reprint from the archives of TomDispatch. Read Tom Engelhardt’s introduction here.With an occupying army waging war in Iraq and Afghanistan, with military bases and corporate bullying in every part of the world, there is hard
Schools Matter: NEA and AFT Misleaders Go with Broad-Gates Pick for President
Schools Matter: NEA and AFT Misleaders Go with Broad-Gates Pick for President: NEA and AFT Misleaders Go with Broad-Gates Pick for PresidentDuring the final months of Bill Clinton's presidency, both Bill and Hillary harded hard to secure legislation to benefit their friends' and supporters' newly-formed foundations, as well as the one planned for themselves. TheClinton-friendly Broads and Dells g
The Upside of Arne Duncan - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher
The Upside of Arne Duncan - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher: The Upside of Arne DuncanSo what are we to make of Arne Duncan's surprise departure from his cabinet position, where he dutifully played POTUS Basketball Bud and less-than-articulate mouthpiece for the extremely well-heeled Democrats for Education Reform?Does anyone else wonder about the timing of this? Why was John B.
Lockdown. | Fred Klonsky
Lockdown. | Fred Klonsky: Lockdown.This story on school lockdowns in Slate made me remember my own experience with lockdown drills when I was teaching.Let me start by saying that I strongly believe that the primary job of a school and its staff, more than raising test scores or learning math facts (or, in my case, teaching color theory), is keeping our children safe.I always believed that I was do
Arne Duncan’s legacy - the top-down approach to education - The Hechinger Report
Arne Duncan’s legacy - the top-down approach to education - The Hechinger Report: Arne Duncan’s legacy – the top-down approach to educationcretary of Education Arne Duncan has been passionate about creating real change in education across America. As he leaves office, however, we must examine the efficacy of his reform initiatives.With the inauguration of a new president just about 15 months away,
Wendy Lecker’s latest column – The importance of listening to students - Wait What?
Wendy Lecker’s latest column – The importance of listening to students - Wait What?: Wendy Lecker’s latest column – The importance of listening to studentsIn a commentary piece entitled Heeding the lessons of teenagers, fellow Education Advocate and columnist Wendy Lecker used her latest article in the Stamford Advocate and other Hearst Media Group outlets to remind us that when it comes to the so
BATs Respond To Duncan Leaving USDOE | PopularResistance.Org
BATs Respond To Duncan Leaving USDOE | PopularResistance.Org: BATs Respond To Duncan Leaving USDOEToday the White House confirmed that U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan would be stepping down. The Badass Teachers Association, an education activist organization with over 70,000 supporters nationwide, celebrate this decision. Sadly, at the same time we rejoice the resignation of a man who has
Arne Duncan’s Misguided Policies | janresseger
Arne Duncan’s Misguided Policies | janresseger: Arne Duncan’s Misguided PoliciesLast Friday after U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan submitted his resignation as of the end of 2015, I heard President Barack Obama describe Duncan: “Arne’s done more to bring our educational system, sometimes kicking and screaming, into the 21st century than anybody else.” It is worth considering carefully what
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES 'No confidence' in Duncan/King
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES 'No confidence' in Duncan/King: WEEKEND QUOTABLES 'No confidence' in Duncan/King"No Confidence" in Duncan/King.Jeanette Deutermann, Public school parent and founder of Long Island Opt Out“Throughout his term in New York, John King was notorious for his complete disconnect from parents, teachers, and school officials. His blatant disregard
Common Core Dissent *NOT* Appreciated by Connecticut Police Officer » Missouri Education Watchdog
Common Core Dissent *NOT* Appreciated by Connecticut Police Officer » Missouri Education Watchdog: Common Core Dissent *NOT* Appreciated by Connecticut Police OfficerA dossier of sorts was compiled by a police officer on an Connecticut citizen organizing an anti-Common Core informational session. Maybe the police officer didn’t like that the dissenter is a Republican or is a ‘birther’. Is dissen
Bill signed encouraging study of Latino deportation :: SI&A Cabinet Report
Bill signed encouraging study of Latino deportation :: SI&A Cabinet Report :: The Essential Resource for Superintendents and the Cabinet: Bill signed encouraging study of Latino deportation(Calif.) In 2005, California – via legislation – apologized for its role in mass deportations of Mexican-Americans that occurred during the Great Depression.Late last week, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill int
CURMUDGUCATION: PA: Value-less Data
CURMUDGUCATION: PA: Value-less Data: PA: Value-less DataIt's autumn in Pennsylvania, which means it's time to look at the rich data to be gleaned from our Big Standardized Test (called PSSA for grades 3-8, and Keytsone Exams at the high school level).We love us some value added data crunching in PA (our version is called PVAAS, an early version of the value-added baloney model). This is a model th
Reactions to Arne Duncan’s departure illustrate national divide over education - The Washington Post
Reactions to Arne Duncan’s departure illustrate national divide over education - The Washington Post: Reactions to Arne Duncan’s departure illustrate national divide over educationEducation Secretary Arne Duncan’s announcement on Friday that he plans to step down later this year was greeted by a range of reactions that illustrate how deeply divided the country is over the Obama administration’s ed
World Teachers Day Highlights Educator Shortage - NEA Today
World Teachers Day Highlights Educator Shortage - NEA Today: World Teachers Day Highlights Educator ShortageThe world needs more school teachers. A lot of them. Almost 26 million will need to be recruited to provide every child with a primary education by 2030, according to a report from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS).Filling these positions with high quality educators is critical to re
Special education teacher: Why it’s ‘idiotic’ to force my students to take standardized tests - The Washington Post
Special education teacher: Why it’s ‘idiotic’ to force my students to take standardized tests - The Washington Post: Special education teacher: Why it’s ‘idiotic’ to force my students to take standardized testsThe top picture is from November of 2014 and the bottom picture is from January 2015. Both pictures are from the same student.This is the remarkable story of the challenges facing one specia
‘Workers’ or slaves? Textbook maker backtracks after mother’s online complaint - The Washington Post
‘Workers’ or slaves? Textbook maker backtracks after mother’s online complaint - The Washington Post: ‘Workers’ or slaves? Textbook maker backtracks after mother’s online complaintMothers of teenagers are used to getting frustrating text messages, but the one that Roni Dean-Burren received from her 15-year-old son last week wasn’t about alcohol, dating or money for the movies.It was about history.
Union's chosen four could take majority on St. Paul school board - StarTribune.com
Union's chosen four could take majority on St. Paul school board - StarTribune.com: Union's chosen four could take majority on St. Paul school boardSchool board challengers back contract proposals. Teachers unions are strong, but in St. Paul, muscle is being flexed in new ways.Rather than simply work on behalf of candidates, the St. Paul Federation of Teachers teamed with parents this year to coor
PSSAs: Emphasis on standardized testing has gone too far
PSSAs: Emphasis on standardized testing has gone too far: PSSAs: Emphasis on standardized testing has gone too farFor a few years, measuring education performance using standardized tests was all about making “adequate yearly progress.”But don’t look for any “progress” in the newest crop of Pennsylvania standardized test scores — and not just because the scores are all lower.Even the Pennsylvania
Arne Duncan's on His Way Out: Does That Help or Hurt ESEA's Chances? - Politics K-12 - Education Week
Arne Duncan's on His Way Out: Does That Help or Hurt ESEA's Chances? - Politics K-12 - Education Week: Arne Duncan's on His Way Out: Does That Help or Hurt ESEA's Chances?Education advocates, school district officials, teachers, and the rest of the edu-universe have been waiting for a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to make it over the finish line since 2007.And it lo
SCOTUS plantiff: 'I dared to stand against union politics' | Washington Examiner
SCOTUS plantiff: 'I dared to stand against union politics' | Washington Examiner: SCOTUS plantiff: 'I dared to stand against union politics'When the Supreme Court announced in June that it would hear the case of Friedrichs v. California Teacher Association, it sent shockwaves through organized labor. The case involves whether the nine justices should overturn a 1977 precedent called Abood v. Detro
5 Questions With ‘The Prize’ Author Dale Russakoff
5 Questions With ‘The Prize’ Author Dale Russakoff: 5 Questions With ‘The Prize’ Author Dale RussakoffWhen Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg announced on “Oprah” in 2010 that he was donating $100 million to the city of Newark to improve its schools, longtime Washington Post reporter Dale Russakoff decided to follow along and see what happened next. Over the next four years, she talked with teachers
YESTERDAY
Administration Revises and Updates Rules for Charter School Renewal - NJ Spotlight
Administration Revises and Updates Rules for Charter School Renewal - NJ Spotlight: Administration Revises and Updates Rules for Charter School RenewalThree-tiered system part of the changes, as well as fewer reviews for top-performing chartersThe Christie administration has quietly revised its protocol for renewing existing charter schools, easing back on the review of some schools while tighteni
Shut. It. Down. (On The Battles for Racial Equity and Public Education) | The Jose Vilson
Shut. It. Down. (On The Battles for Racial Equity and Public Education) | The Jose Vilson: Shut. It. Down. (On The Battles for Racial Equity and Public Education)39,000 feet above the ground, the chants still ring in my ear:What do we want? JUSTICE!When do we want it? NOW!What do we want? JUSTICE!When do we want it? NOW!We hit a rhythm right around here:If we don’t get it? SHUT IT DOWN!If we don’t
Ed Notes Online: DFER Founder and Major Ed Deformer Joe Williams' Wife, a TFA and Kippster, is DOE Senior Director, Teaching Recuitment and Quality
Ed Notes Online: DFER Founder and Major Ed Deformer Joe Williams' Wife, a TFA and Kippster, is DOE Senior Director, Teaching Recuitment and Quality: DFER Founder and Major Ed Deformer Joe Williams' Wife, a TFA and Kippster, is DOE Senior Director, Teaching Recuitment and QualityAnne Martin Williams, who is DOE Senior Director, Teaching Recruitment and Quality, is married to Joe Williams founder o
President Obama helps every Republican Presidential candidate by appointing John King | Reclaim Reform
President Obama helps every Republican Presidential candidate by appointing John King | Reclaim Reform: President Obama helps every Republican Presidential candidate by appointing John KingPosted on October 4, 2015by Ken Previti“By appointing John King, the most unpopular education commissioner in the history of New York State, as Acting Secretary of Education, President Obama just gave a shot in
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 10/5/15
CORPORATE ED REFORMRe-Claiming a Moral Profession in Unethical Times | Colin SchumacherRe-Claiming a Moral Profession in Unethical Times | Colin Schumacher: Re-Claiming a Moral Profession in Unethical TimesA bitter irony unfolded in New York's budget process this year as Governor Cuomo, in his allegiance to hedge fund campaign contributors, managed to push through ethics reforms alongside an educa
